Ritual Theory, Ritual Practice

Catherine Bell

Seminal work in the field of ritual studies

As relevant today as it was when first published

Ritual Theory, Ritual Practice

Catherine Bell

Description

Ritual studies today figures as a central element of religious discourse for many scholars around the world. Ritual Theory, Ritual Practice, Catherine Bell's sweeping and seminal work on the subject, helped legitimize the field. In this volume, Bell re-examines the issues, methods, and ramifications of our interest in ritual by concentrating on anthropology, sociology, and the history of religions. Now with a new foreword by Diane Jonte-Pace, Bell's work is a must-read for understanding the evolution of the field of ritual studies and its current state.

Ritual Theory, Ritual Practice

Catherine Bell

Author Information

Catherine Bell, Late Professor Emerita and former Chair of Religio, Santa Clara University

Ritual Theory, Ritual Practice

Catherine Bell

Reviews and Awards

"Throws down the gauntlet to cultural interpretations of ritual....Bell's erudition and command of the literature, especially in the field of anthropology, is most impressive. Her appeal for the centrality of dynamic individuals, strategies, and power relationships is powerful and will no doubt strike a chord among those similarly disaffected with prevailing trends in understanding ritual." - American Journal of Sociology